


A Bed Bound Bounty

by ClayJackson



Category: Red Dead Redemption
Genre: Chronic Pain, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pain Flare, mostly comfort for achy joints
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-12
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-09-17 02:23:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16965933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClayJackson/pseuds/ClayJackson
Summary: The pain flares with the bad weather, making it difficult for Hosea to even do simple tasks. Dutch tries his best to help him.





	A Bed Bound Bounty

**Author's Note:**

> I LOVE CHRONIC PAIN HOSEA MATTHEWS.

Dutch tries his best to be helpful, but there’s only so much he can do. Still, he’s a stubborn ass, especially when it comes to taking care of his partner. Today though, he had burned through all of his resources to make Hosea feel better.

Hosea had been living with his pain well before he met Dutch, but old age and stress hadn’t helped any. It came and went, always a dull ache but occasionally flaring into a burning pain. He had found ways to manage it without having to visit a doctor; ginseng made his joints less stiff, topical creams relieved some of the pain, spicy food distracted him from it. Nothing ever fixed it, simply reduced the severity of it.

Bad weather made it worse, much worse. The rain would set an ache in his bones that would pierce through any thought he had, any movement he attempted to make. On those days he would crawl his way into Dutch’s room and lay under as many blankets as the two of them could gather, simply whining and groaning through the pain until the storms passed. 

The two of them had exhausted the usual treatments. There were simply some joints that, even if they were in place, still ached despite the creams and messages and gentle touches. Hell, sometimes even Dutch’s touch was too painful, making Hosea grit his teeth and sob as he desperately craved the intimacy but also hated the pain it caused. 

The best thing for them to do was to just call it a day and lay in bed together for as long as they could. Dutch got restless having to sit still for long periods of time, but he forced himself to read through his books while Hosea laid with his head in his lap. Hosea was exhausted, body torn between wanting to sleep to escape the pain and the pain keeping him awake. 

“Dutch,” he said softly as he shifted and groaned, his joints cracking softly. “Can you help me walk?”

He nodded and helped Hosea up slowly, hands supportive but gentle so as not to press too hard on a too loose joint and make things worse. “Where do you want to go?”

“Need to piss,” he said, hissing as he was sat up.

“Do you want to walk? I could just get you an empty bottle instead.”

“No, I want to stand. Make myself feel useful,” Hosea argued.

Dutch sighed but nodded, standing up and wrapping his arms around him. “Hold on to me.”

Hosea wrapped his arms around him, holding on weakly as Dutch lifted him. He hissed loudly as his muscles and ligaments strained under his body weight, pain shooting white hot up his hip and spine. “S-Shit,” he mumbled as he leaned his full weight on Dutch, grinding his teeth together. 

“Are you sure you want to walk?” Dutch asked, holding him easily against himself.

“I’m fine! Just...just need a moment,” he snapped back, breathing heavily as he tried to steady himself. “God, it hurts.”

Dutch pressed a kiss to the top of his head, running a hand gently over his back. “Sweetheart, sit back down. I’m gonna grab a bottle.”

Hosea whined loudly, stubbornly holding his ground before collapsing against Dutch and huffing in frustration. “I hate this.”

“I know, but it’s alright,” Dutch reassured him as he lowered Hosea back to the bed. “Just sit here and I’ll be right back.” He was quick, finding one of the many empty bottles that had been discarded around camp.

“Feel useless like this,” Hosea let out quietly. “Can’t even get up enough to go piss on my own.”

Dutch kissed his forehead. “Don’t focus on that, let’s just get you done pissing,” he reassured and teased all in one breath. “Come on, scooch forward.”

Hosea situated himself at the edge of the bed, mumbling under his breath about how humiliating it was. 

“Hosea, we’ve been together for twenty years now. I’ve seen you piss before. Seen you in worse situations than this,” Dutch reassured him as Hosea undid his pants. “Want me to hold the bottle for you? I know how your hands can get when you’re hurting.”

He nodded, letting out a breath as he accepted his limitations. “Yes please.” 

Dutch kneeled and held the bottle for him as he relieved himself. While Hosea tucked himself back in, Dutch dumped the bottle outside the back of the tent and tossed it before coming back to him. 

“Anything else you want to do while you’re up?” 

Hosea shook his head before hissing and freezing, a hand resting on the back of his neck as he felt it crack. “No, just want to lay back down.”

Dutch nodded and sat back on the bed, grabbing his book to have it close. “Come here, sweetheart,” he said, opening his arms and embracing Hosea as he laid his head back in his lap.

“Just wish I wasn’t so useless. Can’t even get up and piss,” Hosea complained into Dutch’s thigh.

“Shut your damn mouth, don’t call my partner useless,” Dutch scolded, stroking a hand through Hosea’s hair slowly. “Just relax and try to get some rest.”


End file.
